Fastener-driving tools, such as, for example, nail-driving tools or staple-driving tools, may be pneumatically powered or combustion-powered tools. Pneumatically powered tools of the type noted above are exemplified in Howard et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,106, Nikolich U.S. Pat. No. 4,549,344, Plunkett U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,858, and Howard U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,475. Combustion-powered tools of the type noted above are exemplified in Nikolich U.S. Pat. No. Re. 32,452, Nikolich U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,162, and No. 4,483,474, Wagdy U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,473, and Nikolich U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,722.
Typically, the feeding mechanism of such a tool employs a spring-biased pusher, which must be manually held in a retracted position while an elongate strip of collated fasteners is being loaded into the tool. Such manipulations can be somewhat difficult for a user needing to load such a strip of fasteners into the tool, particularly if the user is standing upon a ladder or is disposed in cramped quarters. It would be highly desirable to provide such a tool with an improved mechanism for feeding an elongate strip of collated fasteners so that there would be no need for a pusher to be manually held when such a strip of fasteners was being loaded into the tool.